Description

I can’t remember the first time I tasted the Rhone By Roger Sabon, but at the time I was already devoted to the Sabon Chateauneuf Du Papes but somehow this wine was equally thrilling.  Rhone by Roger Sabon is mostly Grenache with some Syrah and Cinsault. The natural charm of Grenache’s cherries, florals and fairyfloss are at the forefront with spice and liquorice, woody/vanilla notes all supporting. The palate is silky, elegant, savoury, long and just a bit chewy.

I’d happily store this Rhone By Roger Sabon for 5-7 years and it’ll become more than it is now.

There are definitely better Cote du Rhone wines out there, but at this price, Rhone By Roger Sabon has to be one of the best values in the whole region.

Sabon has 6 hectares of Cotes Du Rhone in the West Bank of the Rhone. The soil is clay and limestone. The grapes for Rhone By Roger Sabon are hand-picked, destemmed and made in a way to retain the aromas of the grapes and the natural elegance of the region while giving it enough body to be attractive and silky.

Rhone By Roger Sabon Cotes Du Rhone 2020, and all wines are eligible for at least 5% off any six bottles. And 10% off any 12 bottles. Some wines will be at a more significant discount and not subject to further discounts.

Roger Sabon is an excellent producer of Châteauneuf du Pape. The Roger Sabon Cuvee system bases selection on vine age. Therefore the expression of fruit and terroir are the focus with oak used judiciously. Each Roger Sabon Cuvee is velvety with high concentration, flesh and finesse utilising large, old oak casks for elevage. Delicious wines right through the range. Roger Sabon is one of my favourite producers in the whole wine world. While the Chateauneufs are amazing, the Roger Sabon Lirac and Rhone By Roger Sabon Cotes du Rhone are worth drinking too.

Rhone By Roger Sabon Cotes Du Rhone 2020 Winery Notes

“handpicking. Destemmed harvest. Fermentation temperature regulated around 24° in order to favour fruity aromas. 15-day-tank maceration of berries. Daily pumping overs in order to get the best compromise between elegance and body. Ageing both in wood and tanks.
the purplish colour introduces this fruity wine that has vanilla and sweet liquorice notes assorted with high tannins coated with black cherry. A wine ready for drinking that will improve within the 3 to 4 coming years. 
An “Appellation” wine for immediate pleasure.”

Cotes-du-Rhone

The generic appellation of the Rhone Valley. It can produce white, rosé or red wines. They are often blends of a few of the local wines. Quality can range from very low to some that rival the best wines in the region. Knowing the good producers is the key to picking a good wine from this appellation.

Rhone Valley

One of the great wine regions in the world. Situated along the Rhone river in South-East France, there is a distinct divide between the Syrah dominant North where the Mistral wind cools and regulates the temperature and the hot lands in the South where Grenache is at its peak. The region produces everything from easy-going quaffers to wines that demand long-term cellaring. Whites can be outstanding such as Viognier made in Condrieu, and Rosé makes a fair impression too.

Grenache/Garnacha

Spain’s gift to the world; We know it as Grenache. I think everyone has a soft spot for it in some way. Almost too exuberant in expressing its sweet red fruits and high alcohol. It often needs other grapes blending in to add moderation, structure and depth, much like Abbott and Costello. Despite this, the wines of Priorat, Chateauneuf du Pape, Rioja and Aussie GSMs have a fantastic ability to age for the long term.

Shiraz/Syrah

A bit of a chameleon, Shiraz can change how it looks depending on the terroir and/or winemaker influence. The Syrah-based wines of Northern Rhone are dry and austere, while the Shiraz of Barossa is opulent and fleshy. A variety that lends itself to long aging but can be drunk at any time of its evolution.

Cinsault

An important supporting grape in a lot of wines from Southern France. It can tolerate the heat but really needs a dry climate to avoid disease. Cinsault makes strong black wines that lack a bit of charm without other varieties help. It can really turn it on for textural rosé, especially when an aromatic variety is blended in.

French Wine

The land that so many New World (not European) wine producers look to emulate. To generalise about French wine, I would say it is savoury, lighter-bodied wines. They are the definition of elegant, complex. There are many styles, though. And there is a French wine for every palate. They lead the world in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy. Sparkling Wine in Champagne. Cabernet and Merlot in Bordeaux. Syrah(Shiraz) and Grenache in the Rhone Valley. Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris in Alsace. Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley. Gamay in Beaujolais.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is special. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

Red Wine

Fun fact; most of the colour for wines comes from the skins. There are only a handful of grapes that have red juice. Alicante is the most well known of these grapes.

By macerating the juice on the skins, the wine gains tannins, and flavours. Certain compounds change the chemistry of the wine too.

Red wines tend to have higher alcohol. More tannin and more oak flavours compared to other styles of wine. But the thousands of grapes and terroirs they grow in influence this.

The Wine Depository

I, Phil, have been running The Wine Depository since 2011. The Wine Depository exists to make sure you are drinking the good wines. You can browse and pick what is interesting to you. Or you can make contact with me. I’ll make sure you get what you want, to your palate, to your budget and to your door.